Tag Archives: Kashmir

A major shift took place in the Indian subcontinent on Monday when the government of India revoked the special status it had conferred on its only Muslim-majority state – the State of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

In doing so, India demonstrated a spinal cord of steel, this coming after 1,000 years of Arab, Turkic, Persian and Afghan Islamic invasions, followed by Portuguese, French and British colonization, had reduced it to mere spaghetti.

India today stands as tall as the Himalayas and walks as gracefully as the Bengal tiger.

As expected, Pakistan invoked its self-styled role as the godfather of India’s Islamists. The country’s military-backed Prime Minister Imran Khan made a barely concealed threat of a nuclear attack unless India revoked its actions taken on its own sovereign territory.

Khan told a joint session of the Pakistan parliament, “if we fight a war till we shed the last drop of our blood, who will win that war? No one will win it and it will have grievous consequences for the entire world,” he thundered. Then, as if to mollify his threat of a worldwide nuclear catastrophe, Khan fooled no one by insisting: “This is not nuclear blackmail.”

Khan then played the race card: “What they (Indian government) did in Kashmir is in accordance with their ideology. They have a racist ideology … ingrained in their ideology that puts Hindus above all other religions and seeks to establish a state that represses all other religious groups.”

India’s actions were taken through a change in two articles of its constitution that won approval in both houses of the country’s parliament. The fact this led Pakistan to threaten nuclear war tells us why so many of us consider the country not just a state sponsor of terrorism, but a threat to world peace under a military that is carrying out a genocide on its own people in the occupied once independent country of Balochistan.

India has a peculiarity to its history. Unlike the Persian and Egyptian civilizations that crumbled in the face of Islamic expansionism of the 7th and 8th centuries, India’s Hindu society was able to survive despite the total erasure of Hinduism from the 5,000-year-old Indus Valley Civilization by the Arab marauder Muhammad Bin Qasim and later murderous plunderers such as Tamerlane and the Moguls ending with the looting of its riches and resources by the British.

When they finally left in 1947, Britain amputated India’s limbs to partition the ancient land into three, with the Islamic State of Pakistan flanking India on both its eastern and western borders.

On paper India had won its freedom in August 15, 1947, but on the ground the ancient plundered land was not free until Monday.

Acting in good faith and making India secular to accommodate its Muslim minority, for decades its Hindu leaders distanced themselves from their heritage.

India’s first education minister came from a family in Mecca that claimed to be a direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad.

In fact, India is the only major civilization country where you are systematically taught to hate your heritage and glorify the invaders who came to destroy it. And this absurdity is called “secularism.”

Anyone standing up for the rights of India’s Hindu heritage of its indigenous and aboriginal population, who took pride in their ancient Vedic texts was labelled by the slur of being an “ultra-right Hindu nationalist,” while those who propagated the total Islamization of India under the Arab doctrine of “Ghazwa-e-Hind” and the eradication of every Hindu Temple were free to claim such hate as being their “right” to practice their faith.

But in the words of Bob Dylan, “the times, they are a changing.” India has finally won its freedom from the clutches of those who mock its heritage and wish it harm.

Under this new freedom, India’s Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians will be equals before the law and not hide behind “special status.”

‘Kashmir is an integral part of India’. I have heard this line parroted by leaders of all political hues. It has always sounded like an arbitrary statement designed to rebuff Pakistan, and to reaffirm India’s military might over a coveted geographical area.

Recently I came across facts that have changed my perspective on Kashmir totally. Facts that have astounded me. But more than that baffled me, for they reveal glaring lacunae in the history we have been led to believe so far.

Understandable that the British established a syllabus for us that was designed to obliterate our glories and inculcate shame in us for all things Indian. But, 70 years past independence, we are guilty of still toeing their line. Why?????

The facts I speak of are proof that Kashmir is the fountainhead from which flows our culture, in fact everything that defines our identity as Indians.

Due to my education in an elite school, i had considered myself reasonably well informed. Yet, i had no clue at all about the significance of Kashmir vis a vis Indian history and that it was home to Panini, whose Ashtadhyayi is considered the most scientific and flawless treatise on grammar in the world.

Patanjali, who gifted to humanity his Yog Sutra..

Sharangdev, considered the father of both Hindustani and Carnatic music.

Acharya Abhinav Gupt, one of the greatest scholars of all times, who wrote 46 literary classics, including the renowned Abhinav Bharti. His principles of ras are being taught in 80 universities around the world.

Kashmir was considered the abode of Saraswati, the highest seat of learning in India, and was also referred to as Sharda Peeth. So much so that when students graduated from Kashi, they took 4 symbolic steps towards Kashmir, denoting their aspiration for higher learning.

Almost the entire body of Sanskrit literature has its origins in Kashmir.

Rajtarangini, an authoritative historical tome on the royal lineage of Kashmir, written by Kalhana in the 12th century, outlines the greatness of King Lalitaditya, possibly the most powerful Indian Emperor of all times, whose kingdom in the 8th century extended from the Caspian Sea in the north to the Kaveri basin in the south, and included Assam in the east.

How many Indians have even heard his name???

How many of us know that Srinagar was established by Ashoka ?

That Mahayana Buddhism was spread across Mid Asia, China and Japan by Kashmiri monks?

Who are these educationists who are deliberately withholding such vital slices of history from our text books?

How will the present as well as future generations realize that Kashmir is the keystone of our heritage through millenia, finding mention even in our oldest scriptures?

It is not a piece of land. It is the abode of the soul of India.

“Kashmir is an integral part of India” now has a new meaning for me. It is no longer a statement, but an impassioned avowal!

Source Correction :

The article was incorrectly attributed to Ira Pande through groups on Whatsapp ..

On another google group, it is attributed to a different writer, Amit .

However, we are retaining the post for the fresh perspective it gives on the issue.

NGO Amnesty International was booked for sedition charges by Bangalore police after anti-India slogans were raised in an event hosted by the NGO for human rights. During the event ‘Broken Families’ at United Theological College which was organized on Saturday as a part of a campaign to seek justice for victims of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, anti-India slogans were raised the some members of the audience.

The event was attended by activists, journalists and the relatives of Kashmiris who had gone missing allegedly because of covert operations by security forces. Several families shared their stories of loss, while others presented their views on the current situation in the state. Among the panellists were journalist Seema Mustafa, and former journalist RK Mattoo.

Heated arguments began when Mattoo praised the Indian Army called them very disciplined. Some of the members of the audience took objection to these remarks. some “pro-freedom” Kashmiris, most of whom were youngsters and students, entered into heated arguments with a Kashmiri Pandit leader for hailing the Indian Army and shouted Slogans for and against the army presence in Kashmir were raised. Later on, people also raised slogans for ‘azaadi’.

Opposing these, the members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad complained the matter with the Bangalore police. ABVP demanded the arrest of people who participated in this anti-national program. They also claimed that when ABVP workers came forward to stop this, they were assaulted. ABVP activists, who staged a protest on Monday against the event, had also filed a complaint with the police along with a CD containing video recording of the event. Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara had yesterday said the intention and background of those involved will be investigated.

According to the complaint of the ABVP, a student organisation, participants “sang anti-national songs, raised anti-national slogans, made anti-India and anti-national speeches and raised slogans saying India’s Kashmir should go to Pakistan.” It also claimed that the event supported terrorism and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence, and was thus anti-India.

The case was registered under IPC sections — 142 (being member of an unlawful assembly), 143 (whoever is a member of an unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 124A (sedition), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony). However, the police said they would investigate the matter before making any arrests.

After the event, the Amnesty released a statement saying, “Amnesty International as a matter of policy does not take any position in favour of or against demands for self-determination. However, Amnesty International India considers that the right to freedom of expression under international human rights law protects the right to peacefully advocate political solutions that do not involve incitement to discrimination, hostility and violence.”

A case has been filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including unlawful assembly, rioting, sedition, promoting enmity and common intent. However, the police said they would investigate the matter before making any arrests.

– By Surendra K

If a member of a family dies, its impact is felt within the immediate family and relatives. Similarly if any socially-admired person dies, his influenced circle in the society will be affected. Not surprisingly, the killing of a dreaded Hizbul Mujahedeen terrorist Burhan Wani by Jammu and Kashmir police in India hugely disturbed the Pakistani government and Wani’s handlers, operating terrorists, organisations like LeT, Hizbul Mujahedeen and most of the Kashmiri separatists.
Based on an anonymous tip-off, the Special Operation Group of J&K police along with 19 Rashtriya Rifles raided (http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/jk-valley-on-boil-after-face-of-new-militancy-burhan-wani-is-shot-dead-hizbul-mujahideen-2902395/ ) the hideout of Burhan Wani at Kowpora Kokernag in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district and killed him along with two of his associates Sartaj and Masoom on July 8, 2016. And since then some section of the Kashmir valley are protesting continuously against this encounter, disturbing the day-to-day life of ordinary people, indirectly forcing security forces to impose curfew to simmer down the heated atmosphere.

Burhan Wani – Courtesy – news.statestime.in

As soon as Burhan Wani’s death was aired, all patriotic citizens welcomed it and backed our brave soldiers, but it was bad news and nightmare for Wani’s handlers and terrorist-supporting Pakistani think tank. To convert this ‘bad news’ into good opportunity, the Pakistani handlers put all their best efforts and succeeded in converting the dead terrorist as martyr and labelling him as a ‘good terrorist’ and his death as an indirect loss to Kashmir valley.
These people have professionally executed their pre-planned agenda through their well knitted ecosystem comprising of religious preachers, Jihad elements, separatist leaders, political mileage seekers and their media friends operating in J&K as well as in Delhi.
Since then, all of them came under one umbrella, where separatists’ elements played Muslim/Jihad card. Politicians claimed that “We have special status as per Article 370”, which is different from rest of the country and instigated the Kashmir valley youth by deploying them onto the streets as stone-pelting foot soldiers.
Once this started unfolding on the ground, biased media jumped into the fray by claiming that Burhan was an ‘innocent boy’ from a humble family background and whose father was a respected school teacher. Further, they even went onto say absurd things like, had he not picked up the gun, Wani would have been a scientist like Einstein and many such stories kept making the rounds day after day in newspapers and on TV channels.
Knowingly or unknowingly, some of the citizens are taken for a ride by such kind of developments, and we have witnessed how these stone pelting mob confront police by attacking police stations and killing men on duty.
As per Jihad ideology, the first enemy to prevent in establishing Islamic law in any country other than an Islamic country is their security personal; so they apply the same tactics in India. In this case, the killers of Jihad ‘poster boy’ Burhan Wani are none other than our brave security forces, so they target them first.
Once these stone pelting lovers are busy on the ground, the causalities are unavoidable, whether with pellet guns or with lathis. Taking advantage of these unfolding developments, the separatists/Jihadist think tank/anti-India/anti-Hindu opinion-makers including section of media as well as opinion-builders, sitting across the border and within the borders jumped into action in one voice under the banners of human rights and freedom of expression (FoE) and started linking deaths and injuries of only civilians and connected them as chain of events with continuous news feed of ‘Breaking news’ appearing as panellists in TV and/ columnists in print media with their pre-planned agenda.

So what is the agenda of these forces?

First – Disturb the smooth sailing of PDP-BJP coalition government; break the growing trust between the government and people, and manufacture an environment where proposed Sainik colonies and townships for Kashmiri Hindus will be labelled as feasible, right now from government’s mouth.

Along with all these, the old and standard repeated line of “reduction of army presence” in the valley is taking centre stage. This is also the root cause for unrest in Jammu and Kashmir since many years along with batting for freedom or independence of the valley while singing the UN plebiscite tune.

If we closely observe all these developments, in a nutshell, it looks like these separatist forces do not leave any single opportunity in converting any anti-government sentiments into anti-India, anti-Hindu to suit their Jihadist agenda. Moreover, such forces are experts in artificially creating this kind of disturbing environment after the death of terrorists and preach every generation on how Indian government is using forces and suppressing their voice.

By summing up all these pre and post developments of any terror activities, the think tank will conclude by saying that, to fix this continuous problem of unrest in Kashmir, the only solution lies in the independence (‘azaadi’) and to achieve this, everyone in the valley small and big, men and women and children as a responsibility should come out on streets and fight using all violent and non-violent methods, be it using the mosques or by picking the gun as per their convenience.
In the midst of all this, the present Modi-led NDA government is doing its best to restore the things to normalcy by force or talks. Once this charged atmosphere comes down, the PDP-BJP coalition should speed up in moving towards fulfilling its poll promises and all-round development in the Jammu and Kashmir state. More importantly, at the earliest, government must push for construction of Sainik colonies as permanent houses to accommodate Kashmir Hindus without any further hesitation.

The parliament should draw a detailed plan to implement the 1994 resolution aimed at reclaiming the occupied lands from Pakistan, which we call it as ‘Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Today, it is Burhan Wani, tomorrow some other terrorist. To stop all this, there is no ‘good’ (OR) ‘bad’ terrorist. Just eliminate them; bring the religious leaders of Kashmir valley on-board and devise a strategy to delink the religious overtones for a peaceful Bharath. In doing so, identify the anti-national and Pakistani-loving celebrities residing in India and shame them whenever there is an opportunity.

How Shall We Recover our Lost Intellectual Freedom

Sri Aurobindo says " How shall we recover our lost intellectual freedom? By reversing, for the time being, the process by which we lost it, by liberating our minds in all subjects from the thralldom to authority. The Anglicized ask us to abandon authority, revolt against superstition to have free minds. What they mean is that we should renounce authority of the Vedas for Max Muller, the Monism of Sankara for the Monism of Haeckel, the dogmatisms of Pandits for the dogmatisms of European thinkers, scientists and scholars. Let us break our chains in order to be free, in the name of truth, not in the name of Europe.

Our first necessity, if India is to survive and do her appointed work in the world, is that the youth of India should learn to think, - to think on all subjects, to think independently, fruitfully, going to the heart of things, not stopped by their surface, free of prejudgments, shearing sophism and prejudice asunder as with a sharp sword, smiting down obscurantism of all kinds as with the mace of Bhima…”.